Game



March 20, 1962 G. Llcms ET AL GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1960 United States Patent Oflice 3,926,111 Patented Mar. 29, 1952 3,026,111 GAME Gunars Licitis, Chicago, and Norman T. McFariand, Mayview, 111., assignors to Marvin 1. Glass, Chicago,

' Filed June 6, 1960, Ser. No. 34,075

10 Claims. or. 273-115 This invention relates generally to amusement devices or toys requiring manipulative skill for achieving a goal. More particularly, this invention relates to a device whereby articles movable by gravity, such as gurnballs or the like, can be individually dispensed in response to proper manipulation of the movable components of the device.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a novel form of toy or game requiring manipulative dexterity to cause progressively upward travel of a rollable article along a series of inclined paths. A further object of the invention is the provision of an amusement device which, when successfully operated, rewards the player with an article, such as a gumball or the like. A still further object of the invention is the provision of a game in which a reward is initially made available in response to the deposit in the device of a coin, but which cannot be obtained until the device is properly manipulated to present the reward to the player.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device or game of the type referred to above which can be economically constructed. is highly attractive in appearance, and will provide many hours of amusement.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings of one embodiment of the invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partially broken away plan view of a device incorporating various of the features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view, partially in section, taken generally along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 with various of the parts removed and/ or broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the movable ring structure incorporated in the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view, partially in section, taken along line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view, taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the gumball delivery arrangement incorporated in the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the engagement between the operating lever and the retaining post incorporated in the base of the disclosed device.

The amusement device shown in the drawings basically includes a first fixed series of spaced paths or runways 11 which are inclined along their lengths and which are at successively higher elevations, and a second movable series of spaced runways 13 which are nested with respect to the first series of runways, which are inclined in an opposite direction to the inclinations of the first series of runways 11, and which are also arranged in successively elevated relation to one another in accordance with the direction of elevation of the fixed series of runways to thereby form, in the disclosed embodiment, a conical formation of alternatively inclined runways. Also incorporated in the toy are suitable means 15 for manually raising and lowering the movable runways so that when properly manipulated, a rotatable element or object movable by gravity such as the illustrated gumballs 17 can partially in section,

be raised from one of the lower runways to the topmost runway.

When the rotatable elements are gumballs, or marbles or the like, the attractiveness of the device is further increased by means of rewarding the player who successfully raises a gumball to the topmost runway by delivering it to the player. This feature is provided by a chute or passageway 19 extending from the topmost runway to the exterior of the device. Also incorporated in the amusement device, as disclosed, are a magazine 21 for containing a plurality of gumballs, delivery means 23 responsive to the insertion of a coin for randomly ejecting a gumball from the magazine 21 to any one of the runways, and a receptacle means or bank, see FIGURE 3, for containing the coins inserted in the device.

Considering the device in greater detail, both the fixed and movable series of runways 11 and 13 are carried on a supporting frame 27 which is generally circular in plan view and includes a base portion 29, together with a combination skirt and apron portion 31. Extending inwardly of the skirt and apron portion 31 is an annular channel which constitutes the magazine 21. The annular channel or magazine 21 slants downwardly toward the front of the device, seen to the left in FIGURES l and 2, and is formed by a pair of spaced vertical walls 33 and 35 and an intermediate floor 37.

Extending from the inner periphery of the skirt and apron portion 31 so as to enclose the magazine 21, together with the movable and fixed series of runways 11 and 13, is a generally dome-shaped cover 39 of transparent material. The cover 39 can be fixed to the frame 27 or can be removably located in an annular seat 41 to permit its disassembly from the frame 27 in order to facilitate refilling of the magazine 21. If the cover 39 is fixed to the frame, various other means can be employed to permit refilling of the magazine.

The base portion 29 of the frame 27 includes three spokes 43, 45, and 47 to which at least a portion of the fixed series of runways 11 are mounted. Also included in the frame base portion 29 is a central upright tube 49 which empties into a trough 51 formed in the spoke 43 to thereby constitute the chute 19. At its outer end, the trough 51 is accessible through an opening in the side wall of the frame base portion 29 so that a gumball arriving therein through the chute 19 can be easily grasped by the operator.

The disclosed construction includes a fixed ring structure defining three generally annular runways 53, 55, and 57 which are concentric with respect to the central tube 49 and which are formed with the successively inner runways of successively higher elevation. The number and shape of the runways can, of course, be varied while retaining the advantages of the invention.

The outermost of the fixed runways 53 is slanted downwardly and forwardly, i.e., to the left in FIGURES l and 2, as are all of the fixed runways, and is formed by a circular top wall 59 extending inwardly of the juncture of the inner magazine wall 33 and the cover 39. The top wall 59 is also radially inclined downwardly and inwardly. Depending downwardly from the inner edge of the top wall 59 is a guide wall 61 which cooperates with other parts of the fixed runway structure and the central tube 49 to guide the movement of the movable series of runways 13.

The other fixed runways 55 and 57 are mounted in evenly spaced relation to each other and to the outermost fixed runway 53 by a series of upright posts 63 which, in turn, are secured to the spokes of the frame base portion 29. Each of the runways 55 and 57 respectively includes a top wall 65 and 67 and a pair of spaced depending guide walls 69 and 71. At'their low points the fixed runways 55 and 57 respectively include lips 73 and 75 which are outwardly and downwardly inclined to influence a ball toward the respectively outwardly adjacent movable runways. Except at their low points, the top walls 65 and 67 of the runways 55 and 57 are radially inclined inwardly and downwardly toward the adjacent inner runways, as seen especially in the radial section shown in FIGURE 8, so as to mfiuence a ball toward the adjacent inner runway.

The movable runways are included in a ring structure which includes three annular runways 77, 79, and 81 arranged in spaced apart and concentric relation to one another with the inner runways being of successively higher elevation as compared to the adjacent outer runways. However, the game can be arranged so that the movable runways are independent of one another and can be individually raised or lowered to play the game, as will be described, by separate manually operated means. a

The movable runways 77, 79, and 81 respectively include top walls 83, 85, and 87, together with spaced apart depending guide walls 89, 91, and 93, the runways being joined together by a series of diametrically disposed webs 95 joining the lower ends of the ad acent depending guide walls 89, 91, and 93. The movable runway structure is proportioned so that it nests w1th thefixed runways and can be readily moved vertically with respect to the fixed runways and central tube 49, vertical movement of the movable structure being guided by the central tube and by the depending guide walls 61, 69, and 71 of the fixed runways. When assembled, the movable ring structure is first mounted around the central tube 49, after which the fixed runways are then attached to the frame by the posts 63. In this manner, the movable ring structure will be retained on the frame 27 by engagement of the webs 95 with the under edges of the depending guide walls 69 and 71.

The movable runways 77, 79, and 81 are all inclined downwardly and rearwardly, i.e., to the right in FIG- URES 1 and 2, and at their low points respectively include lips 97, 99, and 101 which influence the ball toward the respectively next outer fixed runways 53, 55, and 57. At all points other than at the lips 97, 99, and 101, the runways 77, 79, and 81 are, when viewed in a radial section as seen in FIGURE 8, inclined inwardly and downwardly to respectively influence the ball toward the next fixed inner runway 55 or 57 or the central tube 49.

Carried by the uppermost of the movable runways 81 on an oifset support 103 is a decorative umbrella 105 in the form of a five-pointed star which conceals the opening at the top of the central tube 49 when the movable ring structure is in its lowered position and which is raised incident to elevation of the movable ring structure to permit passage of a ball thereunder from the uppermost movable runway 81 into the chute 19.

The movable ring structure can be raised and lowered by means which, in the disclosed embodiment, constitutes a lever 107-comprising a pair of spaced arms 109 and 111 which are respectively rockably carried on a pair of fulcrums or knife edges 113 and 115 located on the frame'base portion 29. The arms 109 and 111 are joined at their outer ends by a finger tab 117 located exterior of the frame base portion and are connected adjacent their inner ends by a cross bar 119. The inner ends of the arms 109 and 111 straddle the lower end of provided for raising and lowering each of the movable runways.

The lever 107 is retained in operating position relative to the fulcrums 113 and 115 and to the movable ring structure, as seen especially in FIGURE 9, by en- Specifically, the inner ends of V gagement of the arm 109 with a guide post 121 extending from the frame base portion 29. ,In this connection, the arm 109 and post 121 include respective mating notches 123 and 125 which can be interfitted prior to assembly of the movable ring structure and fixed runways 55 and 57 to the frame 27 and which cooperate, together with the fulcrums 113 and 115, to prevent displacement of the lever 107 from its correct operation relation to the fulcrums.

The movable ring structure is movable by the lever 107 to and from between an elevated position and a lowered position, which positions can be determined by any suitable stops. For instance, the elevated position of the movable ring structure can be determined by engagement of the webs 95 with the under edges of the fixed depending guide walls 69 and 71. The lowered position can be determined by any suitable stop arranged for engagement with the lever 107. In the elevated position, the guide walls 89, 91, and 93 of the movable runways 77, 79, and 81 all project above the entire length of the top walls of the adjacent fixed runways. In the lower position of the movable ring structure, the fixed depending guide walls 61, 69, and 71, as well as the central tube 49, all project above the entire length of the adjacent movable runways 77, 79, and 81.

Feeding of the gumballs 17 to the runways is provided by the coin-actuated delivery means 23 which is located under a portion 127 of a forwardly disposed apron wall of the base portion 29. In this connection, flie apron wall portion 127 includes a slot 129 for admission of a coin, such as a penny; and, as seen especially in FIGURE 6, the frame base portion 29 includes an upright wall 131 and a curved wall 133 which passes under the slot 129 to adjacent the upright wall 131 to receive the coins and to conduct them to the closed receptacle or bank 25 which can be formed in the frame 27 in any suitable manner. Incorporated in the bottom wall of the bank 25 is a plug 135, shown in FIGURE 5, which can be rotated to permit its removal and emptying of the coins from the device.

The gumball delivery means 23 includes a lever 137 which is shown best in FIGURE 7, and operates to randomly eject a gumball on the runways incident to the passage of a coin through the slot 129. The lever 137 is pivotally mounted, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 6, on a stud 139 projecting from the vertical wall 131 and is biased upwardly in the counterclockwise direction by a spring 141 located on the stud 139 with one end engaged with the underside of a tab 143 projecting from the lever 137 and with its other end in engagement with the inner wall surface of the frame base portion 29. The lever 137 is located to one side of the upright wall 131 and includes suitable means for sensing the entry of a coin into the device, such as the disclosed ear 145 which projects through an opening 147 (see FIGURE 2) in the upright wall 131, transversely to the path of entry of a coin for engagement thereby to cause gumball delivering operation of the lever 137. At its outer end, the lever includes a foot 149 which occupies a cut-out in the floor 37 of the magazine when the lever 137 is in its uppermost position, which position is determined by engagement of the tab 143 with the inner surface of the apron wall portion 127. The foot 149 has a width less than the diameter of the balls 17 used in the device so that, when the lever is depressed to lower the foot 149 relative to the floor 37 of the magazine 21, the ball located over the foot will be retained in the magazine by engagement of its lower surface with the edges 151 of the cut-out in the magazine floor 37. Also attached to the foot 149 is an arcuate spring member 153 whose function will shortly be described.

Secured to the rearward end of the foot 149 is a right angle plate 155 which has a width at least as large as the diameter of the balls 17 used in the device and which includes a vertical leg 157 and an upper horizontal leg 159.

When the lever 137 is in its raised position, the vertical leg 157 is coplanar with and occupies a cut-out in the vertical wall 33 of the magazine 21, while the horizontal leg 159 is coplanar with and occupies a cut-out in the top wall 59 of the outermost fixed runway 53. i

In operation, when a coin is inserted through the slot 129, it engages the ear 145 to rotate the lever 137 clockwise, as seen in FIGURE 2. This lever movement carries the foot 149 and spring member 153 below the magazine floor 37 while the ball 17 is held by the spaced edges 151 of the magazine fioor. At the same time, the right angle plate 155 is lowered to provide an opening through the front side of the outermost fixed runway 53. Passage of the coin into the bank 25 depresses the lever 137 sufiiciently to pass the top of the curved spring member 153 well beneath the horizontal equator of the ball 17 located in the cut-out in the magazine floor 37. Thus, when the lever 137 springs upwardly after passage of a coin, the top of the spring member 153 operates against the undersurface of the ball 17 to flip it into a random one of the runways by passage through the opening which is located in the outermost fixed runway 53 and which is normally occupied by the right angle plate 155.

As described, the runways are arranged so that the ball 17 is influenced toward the low point in the respective runways and so that the ball is trapped at the low point of one of the runways when the movable ring structure is in either of its raised or lowered positions. The runways are also radially inclined toward the next inner runway except at the low points where the ball is infiuenced toward the next outer runway. Thus, if the movable ring structure is lowered and a ball ejected by the delivery means 23 lands on one of the fixed runways, the ball will either roll down the radial incline as it travels forwardly and fall into the next inner movable runway, or the ball will reach the low point of the fixed runway and then transfer to the next outer movable runway. In the movable runways, the ball travels to the low point and is trapped. (In the special instance where the ball lands on the outermost fixed runway 53, the ball is always transferred to the next inner movable runway 77.) if the ejected ball should happen to land on a movable runway when the movable ring structure is lowered, the ball will travel to the low point of that runway and be trapped.

On the other hand, if the movable ring structure is in its raised or elevated position, a ball ejected by the delivery means which lands on a movable runway will be trapped at the low point of one of the adjacent fixed runways. If the ejected ball lands in a fixed runway with the movable ring structure elevated, the ball will be trapped at the low point of the just mentioned fixed run- 'lhen the movable ring structure is elevated or lowered after any of the above occurrences, the ball trapped at the low point of one of the runways will transfer to the next outer runway as soon as the outer runway is at a lower relative elevation thereto. When thus transferred to the outer runway, the ball will travel toward its low point. If it reaches the low point, the ball will be again trapped and the movable ring structure must be again utilized to transfer the ball to the next outer runway. However, this proceedure results in a gradual lowering of the ball 17 as contrasted to the goal of elevating the ball to the topmost runway 81, whereupon it can transfer into the chute 19 and be delivered to the operator.

Elevation of the ball 17 from one runway to the next is accomplished by manipulating the movable ring structure so that the ball transfers to the next inner runway under the influence of the radial incline before the ball reaches the low point of the runway on which it is traveling. When transferring radially inwardly from one runway to the next, for instance, from the fixed runway 55 to the movable runway 79, the direction of the travel of the ball changes as the runways are oppositely inclined with respect to one another. Thus, after inward transfer,

the ball will roll in the opposite direction toward the low point of the inner movable runway 79. The movable ring structure is then again manipulated, raised in this instance, to permit inward transfer of the ball 17 to the next inner fixed runway 57- before the ball reaches the low point of the movable runway 79.. By repeating this process, the ball can be transferred to the innermost of the movable runways 81 from which it will travel, except at the low point, into the central tube 49 for passage to the exterior of the amusement device. Thus, controlled raising or lowering of the movable ring structure at times prior to the arrival of the ball 17 at the low points will cause the ball to be successively passed to runways of higher elevation and eventually to the innermost runway 31 for entry into the chute 49 when the movable, ring structure is elevated.

The disclosed device provides a fascinating toy which is a real chmlenge to the dexterity of the player and which provides a reward in the form of a rotatable element for the successful player. In addition, the dis: closed device incorporates a mechanism whereby a num-v ber of balls can be retained in a magazine 21 and can be individually delivered to the runway structures for entertaining movement incident to manipulation of the lever 167. The toy also includes a bank 25 whereby the coins inserted to effect delivery of a ball from the magas zine 21 to the runway structures can be retained. Moreover, as disclosed, the toy not only provides a highly fascinating activity but it is also of pleasing appearance.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An. amusement device comprising a frame, a first fixed series of spaced paths on said frame with successively adjacent paths at successively higher elevations and with each of said paths being longitudinally inclined, a second series of spaced paths carried by said frame in nested relation to said fixed series of paths with successively adjacent paths at successively higher elevations and with each path longitudinally inclined in the direction opposite from the inclination of the adjacent fixed paths, the direction of successive elevation of the two series of paths being the same, each of the paths in both series having portions with a transverse cross section that has an upper edge inclined downwardly toward the adjacent higher path in its series, an object movable by gravity along said paths, and means manually operable for elevating said paths of said second series to and from elevated positions relative to adjacent paths of said flISt series to cause progressively upward travel of said object.

2. An amusement device comprising a frame, a first fixed series of spaced paihs on said frame with successively adjacent paths at successively higher elevations and with each of said paths being longitudinally inclined, a second series of spaced paths carried by said frame in nested relation to said fixed series of paths with SUC? cessively adjacent paths at successively higher elevations and wilh each path longitudinally inclined in the direction opposite from the inclination of the adjacent fixed paths, the direction of successive elevation of the two series of paths being the same, each of the paths in both series having portions wiih a transverse cross section that has an upper edge inclined downwardly toward the adjacent higher path in its series, an object movable by gravity along said paths, and means manually operable for mov: ing said paths of said second series relative to adjacent paths of said first series between an elevated position and a lowered position so as to cause progressively up ward travel of said objects, each of said paths in said second series being located, when in its elevated position, above the adjacent paths in said first series, andeach of said paths in said second series being located, when in its lowered position, beneath the adjacent paths in said first series.

3. An amusement device comprising a frame, a first fixed series of concentric, circular paths radially spaced around a common axis on said frame and located in vertically spaced planes inclined with respect to said axis with the successively inner paths located in successively higher planes, a second series of radially spaced, concentric circular paths oarried by said frame in nested relation to said fixed series of paths, the paths of said second series being movable in a direction parallel to said axis, being located in vertically spaced planes inclined with respect to said axis in directions opposed to the inclinations of said first series of paths, and being arranged with the successively inner paths being located in successively higher planes, and having portions with a radial cross section with an inwardly and downwardly inclined upper edge, an object movable by gravity along said paths, and means manually operable for elevating the paths of said second series to and from elevated positions relative to the paths of said first series to cause progressively upward travel of said object to the uppermost path.

4. An amusement device comprising a frame, a first fixed series of concentric circular paths radially spaced around a common axis on said frame and located in vertically spaced planes having a common inclination to said axis with the paths of successively smaller'diameters being located in successively higher planes, a second series of radially spaced, concentric circular paths carried by said frame in nested relation to said first series of paths, said paths of said second series being movable parallel to said axis, being located in vertically spaced planes having a common inclination to said axis in a direc tion opposed to the inclination of said first series of paths, and being arranged with paths of successively smaller diameters being located in successively higher planes, and having portions with a radial cross section with an inwardly and downwardly inclined upper edge, a fixed discharge chute extending from the innermost of said movable paths to a trough exterior of said frame, an object movable by gravity along said paths and through said chute, and means manually operable for elevating the paths of said second series to and from elevated positions relative to the paths of said first series and said chute so as to cause travel of said object from any of the lower paths to said chute.

5. An amusement device comprising a frame, a first fixed series of concentric circular paths radially spaced around a common axis on said frame and located in vertically spaced planes having a common inclination to said axis with the paths of successively smaller diameters being located in successively higher planes and with each of the paths having a portion with a radial cross section with an inwardly and downwardly inclined upper edge, a second series of radially spaced, concentric circular paths carried by said frame in nested relation to said first series of paths, said paths of said second series being movable parallel to said axis, being located in vertically spaced planes having a common inclination with respect to said axis in a direction opposed to the inclination of said first series of paths, being arranged with the paths of successively smaller diameters being located in successively higher planes, and having portions with a radial cross section with an inwardly and downwardly inclined upper edge, an object movable by gravity along said paths, and means manually operable for moving said paths of said second series to and from elevated positions relative to said paths of said first series so as to cause progressively upward travel of said object from any of the lower paths to the uppermost path.

6. An amusement device comprising a fi'ame, a transparent dome covering said frame, a vertical tube in view within said dome extending to a trough exterior of said frame, a first fixed series, of concentric circular paths radially spaced around said tube in view within said dome and located in vertically spaced planes located below th top of said tube and having a common inclination to said tube with the paths of successively smaller diameters being located in successively higher planes and with each of the paths having a portion with a radial cross section with an inwardly and downwardly inclined upper edge, a second series of radially spaced concentric circular paths carried by said frame in view within said dome and in nested relation to said first series of paths, said second series of paths being movable as a unit parallel to the length of said tube, being located in vertically spaced planes having a common inclination with respect to said tube in a direction opposed to the inclination of said first series of paths, being arranged with paths of successively smaller diameters being located in successively higher planes, and having portions with a radial cross section with an inwardly and downwardly inclined upper edge, a magazine carried on said frame for containing a plurality of balls, means on said frame for transferring the balls one at a time from said magazine to said paths, coin sensing means on said frame for controlling the operation of said transferring means, container means on said frame for receiving the coins from said controlling means, and means manually operable for elevating said second series of paths to and from between elevated and lowered positions relative to said first series of paths and to the top of said tube so as to cause travel of any ball along said paths to said tube and then to said trough.

7. An amusement device operable to cause progressively upward travel of an object movable by gravity, said device comprising a frame, a first fixed series of spaced paths on said frame with successively adjacent paths at successively higher elevations and with each of said paths being longitudinally inclined, a second series of spaced paths carried by said frame in nested relation to said fixed series of paths with successively adjacent paths at successively higher elevations and with each path longitudinally inclined in the direction opposite from the inclinalion of the adjacent fixed paths, the direction of successive elevation of the two series of paths being the same, each of the paths in both series having portions with a transverse cross section that has an upper edge inclined downwardly toward the adjacent higher path in its series, and means manually operable for elevating said paths of said second series to and from elevated positions relative to adjacent paths of said first series to cause the progressively upward travel of the object.

8. An amusement device operable to cause progressively upward travel of an object movable by gravity, said device comprising a frame, a first fixed series of spaced paths on said frame with successively adjacent paths at successively higher elevations and with each of said paths being longitudinally inclined, a second series of spaced paths carried by said frame in nested relation to said fixed series of paths with successively adjacent paths at successively higher elevations and with each path longitudinally inclined in the direction opposite from the inclination of the adjacent fixed paths, the direction of successive elevation of the two series of paths being the same, each of the paths in both series having portions with a transverse cross section that has an upper edge inclined downwardly toward the adjacent higher path in its series, and means manually operable for moving said paths of said second series to and from elevated positions relative to adjacent paths of said first series to and from between an elevated position and a lowered position so as to cause the progressively upward travel of the object, each of said paths in said second series being located, when in its elevated position, above the adjacent paths in said first series, and each of said paths in said second series being located, when in its lowered position, beneath the adjacent paths in said first series.

9. An amusement device operable to progressively raise an object movable by gravity and to deliver the object to a point on the outside of the device, said device comprising a frame, a first fixed series of concentric circular paths radially spaced around a common axis on said frame and located in vertically spaced planes having a common inclination to said axis with the paths of successively smaller diameters being located in successively higher planes, a second series of radially spaced, concentric circular paths carried by said frame in nested relation to said first series of paths, said paths of said second series being movable parallel to said axis, being located in vertically spaced planes having a common inclination to said axis in a direction opposed to the inclination of said first series of paths, and being arranged with paths of successively smaller diameters being located in successively higher planes, a fixed discharge chute extending from the innermost of said movable paths to a trough exterior of said frame, and means manually operable tor elevating the paths of said second series to and from elevated positions relative to the paths of said first series and said chute so as to cause progressive raising of the object from any of the lower paths to said chute and travel through said chute to a point exterior of said frame.

10. An amusement device comprising a frame, a first series of spaced paths on said frame with successively adjacent paths being at successively higher elevations, a second series of spaced paths on said frame in nested relation to said first series of paths and with successively adjacent paths being at successively higher elevations, the direction of successive elevation of the two series of paths being the same, each of the paths in both series having portions with a transverse cross section that has an upper edge inclined downwardly toward the adjacent higher path in its series, an object movable by gravity along said paths, and means manually operable for effecting relative movement between the paths of said first series and the paths of said second series so as to cause progressive upward travel of said object from a lower path to an upper path.

References Qited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

